The Other Side
by Duo Doy
Summary: PG 13 for some salty language here and there. A fic that focuses on "Ben" an OZ soldier struggling throught he war.


I do not own gundam wing, k?!?!  
  
The Other Side  
  
To: ravman157@colnet.inter From: waffinel78@romefeller.org  
  
re: hi!  
  
Hey, honey! How are ya? All's pretty quiet here. Emma's growing up  
really big! She can't wait to see her daddy again. Uyiugesgiuresgfuiogwekgewgtg There! She said it! Haha! And neither can I. I hope they let you out soon, honey. I have to go, dinner's gonna explode I love you so much Your Evey  
  
Ben smiled. It was his first month in space serving under OZ. He was overcome by the beauty of the complete empty void surrounding him, but missed his wife and daughter dearly already. He didn't have much choice in the matter. he had been almost forced into joining the OZ cause. He was simply working as a guard for the Alliance members when they came, taking all he'd earned with them. The Gundams. The demons of war.  
  
Ben hated them. not only had they killed all of his friends in that battle, but they killed field marshal Noventa, resulting in him being stripped of his rank. He had lived a soldier's life, and didn't know how to do anything but fight. In desperation, he joined OZ and took part in the coup de tat to get back at the Alliance.  
  
But now he found life as an OZ soldier was even worse than being with the Alliance. They forced him into space, gave him less time to see his family. He pressed his fingers to his temple, rubbing it with circular motions, then turned to reply to the e-mail. He gave his usual answer, that he was fine and couldn't wait to see them. OZ filtered all mail, so anything personal he wrote would be read. Also, he couldn't say where he was or what was going on. Reluctantly, he sent the e-mail, feeling as though it was somehow incomplete.  
  
He dressed in his uniform and walked out of his barracks to the mess room. It was almost literally just that: a mess. The tables were in no alignment or order, dirty plates and glasses were everywhere. He sat down into a chair tiredly, and ordered some water. An arm suddenly came from behind him and wrapped around his neck. A grin broke the soldiers face and he said without turning, "Well, Ron, you're up early."  
  
"Bah! Dammit!" Ron released his grip from his friend's neck and took a seat across from him. "I thought I'd try to throw you off by coming extra early."  
  
Ben took a swig from a glass that had been set in front of him and smiled widely. "You think I'd forget your horrible smell so easily?"  
  
The man opposite from him feinted being hurt. His frown looked especially ridiculous on his large, dark face. The rest of his body was large; he was a big man. Muscle bound and big boned, his kindly face deterred any misgivings you would have about being around him and being safe at the same time. Ron was friends with everyone, but had taken a special liking to Ben. He too had a daughter and wife waiting for him on earth.  
  
"Now, that wasn't a nice thing to say to your best friend in the friggin' colony! And besides, everyone smells bad since the showers have been down. Including you." He gave a deep laugh and ordered a diluted liquor he had learned to like since his service with OZ. "How's the Mrs.?  
  
"Good," the other man responded quietly. "And Emma?"  
  
"Good."  
  
Ron got his drink and took a couple of swigs. "Ahhh. Hits the spot." "How's your family, Ron?"  
  
Ron was silent. His cheerful face seemed to slump. "Ron?"  
  
"She hasn't answered back."  
  
Ben stared at his friend in disbelief. Not Barbara! Not Jenny! His mind quickly went through possible things to say to comfort his friend. He knew they would all be futile. Instead, he went to sit next to him and draped an arm around his back. "I'm sorry"  
  
There was no way to find out what had happened. Barbara hadn't answered back for a week. 7 days was what they gave it before they would worry. Barbara had never taken so long.  
  
"Maybe she's ok!" Ben blurted out. "She can take care of herself, right?" The other man's face was more tragic than anything the soldier had yet seen. "Right?"  
  
Ron reached behind himself and grasped Ben's hand, his expression brightening infinitesimally. "Right."  
  
Ben sat in the briefing room, bored. He'd been instructed what to do for what was very likely the millionth time.  
  
".very careful! There have been too many organized robberies in this area to." the commander shook his fist, "shake a finger at!"  
  
It was all Ben could do to keep from yawning as the minutes seemed to drag into decades. "I want escorts on full alert! Understand? FULL ALERT!"  
  
The commander looked around, and, with a grunt of satisfaction, sat down. The soldiers were dismissed and the five that were still awake walked sleepily from the room. "I think I should keep him by my bed for when I can't sleep," Ron quipped.  
  
"Yeah." Ben yawned. "He'd probably still be talking when you woke up."  
  
His friend smiled, and the two went to the MS bay. "Good luck!" The two called to each other before getting into space-equipped Leos and getting ready to take off. The other pilots who would be flying escort went to their respective MS and went through pre-flight procedures as well. When everyone was ready, they were given clearance and took off to meet the transports they'd be escorting at the rendezvous site. As a precaution, it was several kilometers back from the area where the violent robberies had taken place. They met up with it, identified themselves, and went into formation around the cargo ships.  
  
The trip had been uneventful by the time they got to the dangerous area. Everyone held their breath as they passed through, and let it out when they were safely on the other end of it. Ben keyed Ron's frequency "All that bad hype over nothing!"  
  
Ron was silent. "Ron?"  
  
Static answered back.  
  
A scream echoed in Ben's ears, and he turned his Leo to face the front vehicle. It had had its front piloting compartment totally sheared off. "What the fucking hell was that?!" a younger pilot demanded. His tone turned tense, "Holy shi.!" static. In mass confusion, the Leos turned all about. Ben heard static from the remaining Leos. "Cargo transport, this is Leo number 76-827! Do you copy? Can you send for." He broke off when he saw on his monitor a shape appearing before him. Clearly demonic in form, a mobile suit glowed into existence. "Oh my." Ben's life flashed before his eyes. He saw images of his parents, his friends, wife, other soldiers, Emma, Ron, the commander, the other Leos. Shoot, you moron! his mind screamed at him.  
  
He let fly fire from his rifle, but one quick swipe of a long green double blade silenced it. The soldier sat paralyzed in fear. He closed his eyes, envisioning Eve's beautiful face. He felt unbearable heat and felt, ironically happy it was all finally over. His Leo exploded and his badly scorched body was sucked into an even hotter vacuum where he was depressurized and immediately dead.  
  
"Well," Duo said, "Deathscythe, it looks like the God of Death has scored another one! At this rate, I'll just have to wait one more out to get the cargo I need!"  
  
His active cloak activated, and he became almost totally invisible once again.  
  
Whadjathink? I know it's short, but plz review! Any criticism will do!!! 


End file.
